Methods and arrangements for controlling the input torque of a transmission are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,527. In this patent, it is disclosed that the gear change can be configured so as to be more comfortable in conventional automatic transmissions in that the engine torque is modified during a gear change operation by intervening with respect to the engine. In this connection, it is known to reduce the metered fuel, to delay the ignition time point (late adjustment of the ignition time point), to change the charging capacity of a compressor or turbo charger or to hold open a predetermined number of valves of the drive motor. A method and arrangement for controlling the output torque of a drive of a motor vehicle is disclosed in German patent publication 4,309,903. With a change of gears of the transmission, the engine torque is controlled in such a manner that the engine rpm is control adjusted from a first value to a second value. This second value is determined from a desired value of the output torque and from the output rpm. The engine torque is especially influenced by an adjustment of the throttle flap and the ignition.